KR2008 Alternate Storyline Episode 13
by SaiyaGirl1
Summary: Episode 13 - Fright Knight: Kat and KITT are back with a new Mission! This time, Kat's crashing a costume party. Is there really a ghost causing all of these troubling incidents? And who is that masked man who seems to have an interest in Kat?
1. Chapter 1

**Knight Rider 2008 Alternate Storyline – Episode 13 – Fright Knight**

**Chapter 1**

F.L.A.G Underground Compound

Carmen stood up and stretched. She had been working most of the morning and her muscles were stiff and achy. She rubbed the back of her neck as she looked around the nearly empty Main Lab. Only Pierce and Rei were around, both working at their desks.

Carmen frowned. "Man, it sucks when KITT and Katherine aren't here." She announced.

"There's still plenty of work to do." Pierce said, not looking up from his work.

"Yeah." Carmen agreed. "Work never ends when you have David for a boss. But where's the fun? Those two have been gone for weeks."

Pierce frowned at his monitor. "What do you want from me?" He said. "David's not around right now, so go take a break." He looked up for just a second. "Preferably not here."

Carmen gave him a dark look. Then her expression cleared. "David's not around?" She asked. "Where is he?"

Pierce sighed, his hands stilling over his keyboard. He gave Carmen his full attention. "He's out fund-raising. Trying to get new investors for our project."

Carmen looked confused. "I thought we were okay. The government bailed us out, right?" She walked over to Pierce's desk.

"Knight Industries is in the black." Pierce assured her. "But this project still costs millions a year. More investors are always a good thing."

Carmen thought that over a bit, then opened her mouth to speak again. Pierce cut her off. "No, no more. I need to get back to work. Go bother someone else." He made a shooing motion with his hand and went back to his work.

Carmen narrowed her eyes at him, but walked away, muttering under her breath in Spanish.

********

"Okay KITT, come on, what's the scoop?" Kat asked. She sat behind the wheel as they sped down a dark highway. She wasn't the one driving though. Mostly because she didn't exactly know where they were going.

"I've told you the Mission details several times already." K.I.T.T pointed out.

But Kat shook her head. "There is no way our next Mission is investigating a haunted house." She said. "Especially on Friday the Thirteenth. So, out with it. What's the real Mission?"

"For the last time, that IS the Mission." K.I.T.T told her. "The Crawler has brought up several blog entries over the past few weeks indicating strong paranormal activity at the location in question." He brought up a picture of a large mansion on his windshield. "This is Eastgate, owned by a Mrs. Walker."

Kat scrutinized the picture. "The house looks pretty normal." She said. "As mansions go. It definitely doesn't look haunted. Fresh coat of paint, in good repair. No dark clouds overhead, or ominous lightning strikes."

"Not in this picture." K.I.T.T told her. "But there is a storm coming in."

Kat looked through the windshield, up at the dark gray clouds rolling overhead. It was a few hours till nightfall, but you couldn't tell to look at that sky. She made a face. "It's pretty nasty out. Hopefully we get there before it starts pouring."

"We will be arriving shortly." K.I.T.T assured her.

"Okay, another question, assuming that this is the Mission, which I am still skeptical about." Kat said. "Let's just say that this huge mansion _is_ haunted. So what? We're not exactly equipped to deal with the paranormal."

"Maybe _you're_ not." K.I.T.T retorted. "But I am equipped with nearly every type of sensor known to man. Surely one of them can pick up a spectral presence."

"Are you taking this as a personal challenge?" Kat asked incredulously. "Can't we just leave the 'ghosts' alone? You're not exactly the Mystery Machine."

"There is a possibility that the events described in the blogs are NOT related to paranormal activities." K.I.T.T finally admitted.

"That's a big surprise." Kat muttered under her breath. Louder, she said "Well, tell me about the incidents."

"A maid was injured just last week. She was pushed down a flight of stairs by an 'unseen force'. She suffered a broken leg, but is otherwise all right. Several small items belonging to Mrs. Walker have mysteriously disappeared as well."

"Hmmm... sounds like a very troublesome spook." Kat said. She sighed heavily. "Okay, we'll check it out."

The house soon came into sight. It was bigger than the picture let on. It looked like many side buildings and additions had been built over the years. "Looks like there's a party going on." Kat remarked. The front gates were open and a long line of expensive cars were heading up a steep hill to the house. The path up was winding, but well lit.

"Indeed, Mrs. Walker's annual Costume Party." K.I.T.T told her. "Held every Friday the Thirteenth. Invitation only."

Kat frowned at his voice modulator. "Well, how am I supposed to get in to check for ghosts?" She asked him dryly.

"The Crawler has unearthed an email Mrs. Walker sent to a local printer." K.I.T.T brought up the email. "The invitation was included as a PNG file. It even specifies the type of paper to be used. I'll print one up right now."

Kat's eyes widened in surprise as the invitation slowly fed out from under his dashboard. She grabbed it before it hit the floor. She read it over quickly. "This party is formal wear, and I need to be in costume." She told him.

The back of the backseat lowered, revealing the contents of the trunk. "We should pick out something suitable, then."

Kat crawled to the back seat and took her suitcase out of the trunk. K.I.T.T closed the backseat up and Kat set the suitcase on the seat an popped it open. She rifled through t-shirts, jeans, a black leather jacket, and a gun holster. "I don't think I packed anything formal..."

"I had Angela add a few things." K.I.T.T told her. "Just in case the situation required formal wear."

"Uh huh." Kat said. "_You_ had Angela add a few things? Or did Angela tell you that she should pick out my Mission clothes?"

"She might have made a few suggestions." K.I.T.T said, offhanded.

Kat pulled out a pile of shimmering black material. It draped over her hands like black water. She looked it over critically. "This is probably the best thing I am going to find in here." She mused. "But what about a costume?"

"Perhaps we should get creative?" K.I.T.T suggested.

Kat looked over at his voice modulator. "Are you having fun?"

"Maybe just a little."

********

K.I.T.T pulled up right in front of the steps leading up to the front door. A sharply dressed valet ran around to the driver's side and pulled on the door handle. The door didn't open.

"Be nice." Kat told K.I.T.T sternly. "I know how you are around valets."

"You're the only one who can drive me." K.I.T.T said stubbornly. The valet tapped on the glass, looking confused. Behind K.I.T.T, a line of cars was building up.

"Then, don't let him drive. Just give him a ride to the garage."

"He'd still have to sit in the front seat." K.I.T.T synthetic voice was sullen.

Kat sighed. "Just be nice." She opened the door and stepped out, taking care not to wrinkle her dress. Her black heels were a little taller than she was used to, so she walked carefully.

The valet walked around her, preparing to slide into the front seat. The door shut swiftly. The bewildered valet pulled on the handle to no avail. "I'll just go park myself." K.I.T.T said, only to Kat. He pulled away slowly.

"Hey, wait a minute." The valet said as K.I.T.T drove in the direction of the parking garage.

"Don't worry about it." Kat sighed. She tipped the valet and headed up the stairs. The poor valet looked at the fiver in his hand and scratched his head, looking deeply confused.

Kat turned to the steps. There was a small line of extravagantly dressed couples leading up the front steps. A large man in a tuxedo was checking invitations at the top. Kat pulled hers out of her clutch purse and waited.

She didn't feel nervous. A calm that came from years of training in intense situations had settled over her. This was just another Mission. Except this was a Mission without the threat of injury and possible death looming over her. Crashing a party should be a piece of cake in comparison.

Soon, she was at the head of the line. The tuxedo-ed security guard took her invitation and inspected it closely. "Welcome, Miss Knight." He said as he passed a hand-held metal detector over her.

Kat smiled politely. The guard held her invitation back out to her, but pulled it away before she could take it. He scrutinized her closely. "What are you supposed to be?" He asked.

Kat arched a brow delicately. "Can't you tell?" She was wearing a long, strapless black dress. A long slit went up the side of her leg. The strap of an empty holster could be seen strapped to her leg. "I'm a spy." She winked.

The guard laughed. "I'll have to keep my eye on you, then." He handed her the invitation back. "Have a good evening."

Kat entered the house. The front hall was huge. Two white marble staircases led to the upper floors. The marble floor was polished to a high gloss. To the right, double doors were open, showing the ballroom. All of the other doors were closed.

Kat scoped the large, lavishly decorated ballroom. It was lit by a huge crystal and brass chandelier, with several smaller ones all around. Kat couldn't remember ever being inside of an honest to goodness ballroom before. This place put the party hall she had had her sixteenth birthday in to shame. "Maybe we should have waited for another day." She muttered, eying the large crowd.

"What? You don't like parties?" K.I.T.T asked.

"Ones I'm not invited too." She grabbed a champagne flute from a passing waiter and took a sip. She was letting nervousness break through her calm, perhaps the champagne would settle her. "I've been here all of ten minutes and I have yet to see a ghost, or anything paranormal of any kind. Then again, if I were a ghost, or anyone pretending to be one, I don't think I would be keen on exposing myself to such a large group of people."

"Perhaps you should investigate the upper floors."

Kat heard a tinkle of laughter to her left. She turned to see a middle-aged woman surrounded by a group of admirers. She was showing off a piece of paper and laughing lightly. She was dressed extravagantly in royal blue. Real Peacock feathers adorned her dress. Kat guessed her to be the head of the house. K.I.T.T confirmed it a second later. "Visual analysis reveals that as Mrs. Walker." He told her.

Kat drew closer to the woman, blending into the crowd. "So, it's not a ghost?" One man asked Mrs. Walker, smirking good-naturedly. He was dressed as a vampire, complete with glistening 'bloody' fangs.

Mrs. Walker laughed again, it was a merry sound. Kat could see heavy laugh lines around her eyes. Her gut told her that this was a fun and gentle woman. "Oh, I wish." She said, laying the paper on her breast. "That would be ten times more interesting than a thief."

Kat's interest peaked. Thief? That sounded right up her ally. Better than a ghost anyway.

"What is he after?" A woman dressed as a Witch asked.

"It's right here in the note he sent." Mrs. Walker showed the note again, but too briefly for Kat to read anything. "It says here that he plans to steal my black star sapphire." She laughed merrily again. "I would like to see him try." A blue glitter caught Kat's eye. A large dark blue oval hung from Mrs. Walker's neck. The chain it was attached to was thick and adorned with diamonds. Though the size of the sapphire made it more valuable than all the smaller diamonds combined.

"What kind of thief sends a note ahead of time?" The Witch giggled. "How silly. It sounds made up. Like something on television."

"Who knows?" Mrs. Walker shrugged. "Perhaps he really will show up, just like he said." She winked merrily. "It's rather romantic, if you think about it." The circle of guests laughed.

Kat shivered suddenly. "Are you all right?" K.I.T.T asked. "Your heart-rate just jumped abnormally."

She wrapped hands around her elbows. "Just someone walking over my grave." She whispered, looking around quickly.

"I'm afraid you have confused me once again with your folksy sayings." K.I.T.T said.

Kat suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. "It's nothing, just a weird feeling. Haven't you ever felt like something bad was headed right for you, for no reason whatsoever?"

"I can honestly say I have never felt any such thing." K.I.T.T replied. "But, if your intuition is telling you something bad will happen, perhaps it's time you left. We can continue our investigation in the morning." Before Kat could reply, a gloved hand grabbed her upper arm and spun her around.

Her body was tensed for a fight, but the man who had grabbed her had already released her arm. She blinked at him in surprise as he held out a hand to her, his head inclined. He said nothing, but it was obvious he was asking for a dance.

Kat hesitated. Dancing with a stranger was one thing, but she couldn't even tell what this man looked like. His head was completely covered in gauze bandages, save for two eye holes and a slit for his mouth. Dark eyes glittered from the eye holes. What she had initially taken for gloves was cloth tape, deftly wrapped around his hand and each finger. He wasn't that tall. In her heels, they were the same height. His tuxedo was filled out nicely, and his posture was perfect.

Still... it wasn't just that she couldn't see his face. That shivery feeling had increased. The bad omen that she had sensed bearing down on her was here. Just looking at this man made her wary.

He waited patiently, still not saying a word. Kat swallowed, trying to push down the choking feeling in her throat. Why not? She said to herself, taking his hand. She couldn't think of a sound, concrete reason not to dance with him. And the other guests were starting to stare. It was better if she didn't make a fuss.

The music picked up as he pulled her towards the other dancing couples. He faced her while doing so, not taking his eyes off of her. It was making her nervous again. She tried to concentrate on something else, to ease her tension. Something like what song was playing, that way she would know what to dance steps to perform.

The bandaged man placed his other hand on her waist. He led her through the dance purposefully rather than gracefully. Kat turned her concentration to her feet, but kept her eyes on her partner, and they managed to move through the steps. Meanwhile, she puzzled over why this man made her feel so on edge. She took herself to be a pretty good judge of character, so there had to be something off about him. Other than the fact that his face was hidden.

He certainly was the most suspicious guest here. Nobody else's costumes completely hid their features like this man's did. He obviously didn't want people recognizing him. She pondered over the reason for that. Could it really be that easy for her to encounter the supposed phantom thief that was targeting Mrs. Walker?

Nah, that would just be silly.

But still... There was something off.

The song ended and they stopped dancing. The man's hand dropped from her waist, though he still held her hand. He leaned in to her, bringing his mouth close to her ear.

Kat didn't usually tolerate invasions of her personal space like this, but the reaction to step away, to pull her hand from his, was slow to respond. It died altogether when she heard him speak.

"You shouldn't be here." He whispered in her ear.

He pulled away from her and dropped her hand. He turned away from her. Kat reached a hand out to stop him. This was bad! Had she been found out already?

Just then, all the lights went out and the ballroom was plunged into darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Knight Rider 2008 Alternate Storyline – Episode 13 – Fright Knight**

**Chapter 2**

East Gate Manor

Kat's senses were instantly on alert. There was commotion all around her as people tried to find out what was going on.

Within just a few seconds of the lights going out, K.I.T.T activated the night vision on her contacts. The masked man was gone, however.

Kat pushed through the crowd. She looked around for him, but was distracted by a high pitched scream. She turned to it immediately and saw Mrs. Walker sprawled onto the floor, and in danger of being stepped on by the confused and blind guests.

She hurried over to Mrs. Walker and helped her up carefully. "Are you hurt?"

"My sapphire." Mrs. Walker gasped. "They ripped it right off of my neck..."

Kat helped the older woman over to a chair. "Don't worry, Ma'am." She assured her. "I'll find it for you."

"Who are you?" Mrs. Walker asked wonderingly. But Kat was already hurrying away.

"Can you get the lights back on, KITT?"

"Only if the house has a setup to control the lights wirelessly." K.I.T.T replied. Then a second later he said "It does, someone has already used it to shut down the lights."

"Can you get the lights back on, or not?" Kat asked. She pushed through the confused masses. The security guards were talking over everyone, telling them to calm down. At least no one was panicking. Yet.

"Give me a moment."

Kat continued looking all around. There had to be over a hundred people here. And one of them had the sapphire. How was she going to find out who?

The lights came back on, her contacts immediately changing to normal before she was blinded. Everyone blinked in surprise at the sudden brightness. There were gasps of relief all around. Some people were trying to leave, but the guards were blocking the exits.

"Thanks, KITT." Kat told him sincerely.

"That wasn't me." K.I.T.T said. "Whoever shut the power down restored it themselves."

"That means they must have escaped already." Kat felt her energy leave her as disappointment settled over her like a blanket.

"No heat signatures have moved away from the house. The thief is still somewhere in the building."

Kat clenched one hand into a fist. There was a fiery spark in her eyes. "That thief stole something so valuable right under my nose. Just watch me KITT, I am going to get that sapphire back."

********

Mrs. Walker was surrounded by concerned and sympathetic friends. The crowd was a bit too much for her though, and she turned them away. She put a hand to her chest, where the missing sapphire had lain. The fingers curled inward slightly.

A glass of water was held out in front of her. She looked up at the giver, and frowned. David stood over her, dressed in a black tuxedo. She accepted the water anyway. "What, no costume?" She asked teasingly as she took a sip of water.

David pretended to look in his jacket pockets. "Oh? I must have left it at home. My most humble apologies." He spoke smoothly, his voice filled with the utmost respect.

"I know why you're here." Mrs. Walker said. "But I'm afraid I'm too preoccupied right now with my own troubles to hear your latest pitch."

"I am merely concerned for your well-being." David said, sounding absolutely sincere. "And if there is anything I can do-"

She cut him off by waving her hand. "Stop trying to sound so nice, Mr. Marks. It doesn't suit you at all." One of David's eyebrows twitched.

Mrs. Walker sighed heavily. Despair was settling over her. She bowed her head. "My late husband gave me that sapphire." She spoke softly. Her hand clutched at the front of her dress. "I was foolish to be flaunting it. I thought it would be safe if I was wearing it with so many people around..."

David knelt down next to the older woman's chair. "I will find your sapphire, and the one who took it." He assured her.

Mrs. Walker looked into his face. His eyes were determined. "If you bring my sapphire back to me, then I will listen to your proposal." She told him.

David stood up. "I will hold you to that promise." He said, a smile lifting the corners of his mouth slightly.

Mrs. Walker took another drink of her water. "What can you do, alone?" But when she looked up, David was gone.

********

"Okay, let's think about this logically." Kat said. She had stopped rushing around. She wasn't going to find the thief by bumping into him. "No one has left the manor grounds yet."

"Unless they have a way of shielding their heat signature." K.I.T.T cut in.

"Which I really don't think is feasible." Kat continued. "They have to be in the manor somewhere. Since they restored the lights, they have to be fairly confident that they won't get caught now."

"Which means that they must not have the sapphire on them." K.I.T.T added.

"Then they must have hidden it somewhere, and hope to recover it after things have cooled down a bit." Kat frowned. "But where would they hide it? Did anyone leave the ballroom during the blackout?"

"Yes, several heat signatures were outside of the ballroom during the blackout, not including the Staff and Security personnel."

Kat tapped her bottom lip while she thought. "Where is the one place I would hide a valuable sapphire?" She asked herself.

"Try the trash." A familiar voice said behind her.

Kat's body stiffened. Dread settled into the pit of her stomach. She turned slowly. She knew that disapproving tone...

"David..." She said weakly when she saw him. She sounded like a child whose ice cream cone just fell on the pavement.

"You look crushed." He scowled lightly.

"I didn't expect to see you here." She said honestly. "Why ARE you here?"

He shrugged. "Why are you here?"

"The Crawler sent me to find out what was going on at this manor." She explained. "K.I.T.T thought something might happen."

"So, even though you knew that something would happen, you failed to prevent it." Kat frowned at him. But she didn't say anything, he was right. He turned and started to walk away.

"You said something about the trash?" Kat asked him. He turned his head back to her. "Why would someone steal a sapphire, and then throw it away?"

David looked at her like she was slow. "It's the last place anyone would look for something so valuable."

"He does have a point." K.I.T.T said.

"Well, it's worth checking out." Kat admitted reluctantly. "Let's split up and look around." She told David.

David pointed to her left. "You head that way. The Ladies' rooms are over there. I will go this way. Report to me if you find something." He turned away again.

"Wait." Kat said. He turned his head back to her again. His expression was annoyed. "Have you seen a man wearing bandages around?"

David frowned. "No."

"Let me know if you see him. He's very suspicious. I got a sinister vibe off of him before." Kat told him. Then she hurried to the Ladies' rooms.

David arched a brow. "Sinister?" A corner of his mouth twitched. "Interesting."

********

F.L.A.G Underground Compound – Forensics Lab

Diana sat at her desk. The contents of a large manila envelope lay before her. Most of it consisted of a pile of photos, but there were some documents as well. She was studying the photos especially closely.

They all showed the same thing, but from different angles and perspectives. A small, neat room with a bed and a desk in it. A room that was splattered with blood.

She studied the closeups of the blood spatters. She could tell from the shape of the drops and stains how they were made. They had obviously hit the walls, floor, and ceiling with great force.

She pulled a document over to her. It was the results of her fingerprinting analysis on David's laptop when K.I.T.T had been captured. She was interested in one line in particular.

Samuel Long – 99.8%

She looked back at the photos. How had he done it? How? Where had all that blood come from? How could a human being lose that much blood and live?

She had already tested the blood months ago, to see if it had been diluted in some way. But that idea had produced no results.

Since then, she would pull out the manila envelope and study the contents whenever she had free time, hoping to one day solve the puzzle.

It didn't look like today was her day.

She frowned in frustration and reached for her coffee mug. She wasn't paying attention and her hand hit the mug, knocking it over. Coffee spilled out over the desk.

Diana hurriedly moved the papers and photos off of the desk, avoiding being drenched by the coffee. She stared down at the mess, her arms full of paper. She sighed heavily.

She placed the papers in a drawer and cleaned up the mess. She retrieved her mug and looked into it, at the empty bottom. Nothing else for it, she would have to go get more.

She locked her office behind her and made her way down to the kitchens. She usually avoided coming out of her office when she could. Most of the Team didn't know sign language, but they still felt the need to be polite to her, leading to many misguided attempts at communication. Diana was very much a loner though, and just wanted to avoid the hassle.

The coffee pot was full. Someone must have just made a fresh pot. She silently thanked that person as she grabbed the pot handle and prepared to pour the coffee into her cup.

She paused just before pouring, staring at her empty cup. An idea was forming in her head. She grasped at it.

The cup could only hold so much coffee, before it became empty. Just like a person could only hold so much blood before they died...

She felt a tap on her shoulder. She ignored it, staring at the coffeepot she was now clutching in her hand. That idea in her head was becoming clearer. Her cup was empty now, but there was more coffee in the pot. What if there was someplace else to get Sam's blood, other than his body...

Realization hit her then. She whirled around, surprising Ian, who was still trying to get her attention. She thrust her coffee mug into his chest and handed him the coffeepot. His eyes widened in surprise as he caught pot by the handle before he was burned.

Diana ran from the kitchen then, leaving Ian staring after her, bewildered. After a moment, he poured coffee into her mug and put the pot back. He walked calmly out of the kitchen, sipping his hot coffee delicately.

Diana ran to the Main Room, then hurried down the metal staircase. From there she sprinted to the Medical Room. Carmen watched her go, feeling just as perplexed as Ian had been. "What's with Diana?" She asked her cousin.

Enrique shrugged, not looking up from his work. Carmen looked over at Pierce. Before she could ask him anything he held up his hand. "I have no idea, don't ask me." Carmen frowned in frustration. She hated not knowing what was going on.

Diana finally skidded to a halt in the Medical Room, before Dustin's desk. Dustin looked up from his paperwork in alarm. Diana began immediately signing to him. "Do you still have any of Sam's O- blood in storage?"

Dustin gave her a helpless look. He spoke slowly, so she could read his lips. "I don't understand." He said, apologetic.

Diana clenched her hands into fists in frustration. She reached into her lab coat pockets and found a slip of paper. She searched her pockets frantically for a writing utensil.

A pen appeared in front of her. She looked at the bearer in surprise. Kevin looked down at her, slightly concerned. He had a broom in his hand. Diana took the pen from him and wrote her question out on the paper. She handed it to Dustin.

While Dustin read, she looked back over at Kevin, but he had returned to his sweeping. Dustin wrote out his reply under her query and handed the paper back to her.

"My apologies." The note read. "I used all of Samuel's O- when Katherine was injured."

Diana frowned. Had she lost her chance to check? "Are you sure it was really his?" She wrote on the paper.

Dustin gave her a very confused look. 'Why wouldn't it be?' He said to himself. "I tested the sample before giving it to Katherine." Was his reply. "To be sure it was O-. That's standard procedure."

But he hadn't run a DNA test? Diana mused for a bit. "Do you still have that sample?" She wrote. Her paper was filling up, so she started on the back of the page.

Dustin's frown deepened. "Only if Eric has been lazy about cleaning out the fridge." Then he added. "What is this all about?"

"I am just checking on something." Diana replied. "For David."

Dustin nodded, and didn't say anything further. He got up from his desk. "One moment." He said, and walked to another room. He returned shortly, a small plastic vial in his hand. He held it out to Diana.

Diana took the tube from him. "Thank you." She mouthed. She pocketed the vial in her lab coat and walked out of the Medical Room. She had calmed down a bit now that she had what she felt was a very strong lead in her hands.

She could imagine the scenario in her head. Sam had faked his death by stealing his own blood from the Medical Room.

But how had he gotten it to Base B? Diana mused. She shook her head. It didn't matter. She knew she was on the right track. She made her way back up to her lab so she could perform the necessary tests.


	3. Chapter 3

**Knight Rider 2008 Alternate Storyline – Episode 13 – Fright Knight**

**Chapter 3**

East Gate Manor

David entered the Men's rooms cautiously. There was a chance that the culprit was hiding out in here, hoping to avoid Security. It wasn't a likely chance; the culprit seemed much smarter than that. Still, he wasn't going to be caught off guard by overestimating his opponent.

It didn't even cross his mind that he could have warned Katherine of the same threat.

Since this was a private home, the bathrooms were far different from public ones. There were no stalls, but rather several water closets which led into a larger room with a few sinks and mirrors. It was extravagant, but he didn't take time to admire the surroundings.

Only one of the water closets was occupied. David checked out the others while he waited for the occupant to leave. He also checked under the sinks and in the garbage bins.

He was starting to become suspicious when after he had finished his inspection, and the occupant still wasn't done.

He walked over to the door, which opened just then, surprising him. He was even more surprised when he saw the occupant. "A woman?"

He didn't have much time for surprise, though, as the occupant moved towards him quickly. She tried to put her face close to his, but he sidestepped neatly and grabbed her wrist. She lashed out then, angrily, kicking him in the leg with one high heel.

She was fast, and surprisingly strong, and pain shot up his leg. David reached into his coat for his gun.

She decided the best course of action was escape, and wrenched her wrist out of his hand. He grabbed at her, but succeeded only in taking her purse. Then she was gone.

David limped over to the door. The pain in his leg was fading, but not quickly. He opened the bathroom door, and headed back to the ballroom.

He had lost the woman in the crowd. "Great." He muttered, punching the wall beside him. He held up the small purse in his hand and frowned at it.

********

Katherine was finishing up her inspection of the Ladies' room. It hadn't been easy, as it was the biggest bathroom she had ever seen, even including the communal bath and shower rooms back at F.L.A.G. She looked in every garbage bin and in every tiny corner and she hadn't found the sapphire.

"Looks like this idea was a bust." She said, feeling irritable, mostly towards David. How much time had she wasted by following his suggestion/order? The culprit was probably long gone by now. She headed over to the door leading to the ballroom.

K.I.T.T spoke up before she could turn the doorknob. "It might be best to stay where you are right now." He cautioned in her ear. "The Police have arrived. They will begin questioning the guests soon and they _will_ discover that you weren't invited."

"I can't hide in here." She told him. "That'll just make me look more suspicious." Before she could turn the knob, the door opened. Kat stepped aside immediately as a woman walked swiftly past her.

Kat turned. "Excuse me." She called to the woman.

The woman turned. "Yes?" She looked like she was in a hurry.

"Have you seen a man in a tuxedo with bandages covering his face and hands?" Might as well get back to her earlier suspicions, since the bathroom idea was a bust.

The woman blinked a couple of times; she looked surprised. Then her expression changed. She looked Kat over. "You know, I do believe I did. And not that long ago."

"Where was he?" Kat asked.

********

David stood in front of one of the sinks in the Men's bathroom. He inspected the contents of the purse carefully. There was no sapphire, only a compact and a tube of lipstick. Still, that woman was highly suspicious. There should be some kind of clue here.

The compact was ordinary, so he put it back. The lipstick was the type that had two colors, one on each end. He uncapped one end. Whatever the substance was inside, it wasn't lipstick. It was clear and not lipstick-shaped, instead it filled up the tube to the rim.

David applied some to the tip of his finger. It solidified within seconds. He peeled the substance off and studied it. He capped the tube and turned it over, uncapping the other end.

He smelled a faint chemical odor. He sniffed the lipstick lightly, then capped it quickly. The lipstick looked normal, but someone had added poison to it.

He put the lipstick and compact back into the tiny purse, then put the purse inside his tuxedo jacket's inside pocket.

Now he had to track down the woman who had attacked him. He was completely certain now that she had stolen the sapphire. And she was not going to get away.

The Police had arrived by the time he returned to the ballroom. They were escorting some of the guests to another room, most likely for questioning. The thief would not be among them, he knew that without a doubt. If possible, she would head to another floor and hide out until the Police left. Or she might even find a way of escaping from the second or third floor.

He also knew that the Police weren't going to let him explore the upper floors. He walked up to an officer as he pulled a wallet from his jacket. It had a fake ID and badge inside. He had had a feeling he might need it before setting out this morning. He hated when these feelings of his were right.

He showed the badge to the officer, who let him pass. He had to do this a couple more times before he finally got upstairs. He began looking through the rooms immediately.

There were a few officers up here as well, but the house was so large that he was able to avoid them. Someone on the Police had also thought that the culprit would be hiding up here. It was nice to see some brains among the Police.

He opened a door and stepped inside. He closed it softly behind him. It was a large bedroom. There were so many small places to look, that he gave that up and just searched around for anyone suspicious. He bent down and looked under the bed, then walked over to a large wardrobe and opened it.

He turned as the door behind him opened, his body tensed, expecting another officer. Katherine peered into the room and he relaxed. "Have you found anything, yet?" He asked her while he inspected the inside of the wardrobe.

She blinked at him a few times, then stepped into the room fully, closing the door behind her. "Nothing yet. What about you?"

David's eyes narrowed. His hands tightened on the doors as he closed them quietly. "Nothing." He opened a door and checked the next room quickly. She walked over to him. When he turned around, she was right next to him. She had been so quiet that he hadn't noticed, and nearly jumped. Thankfully he had caught himself in time.

"Do you really think we'll find him this way?" She smiled at him faintly.

David moved away from her quickly. He began checking the windows. "Finding the sapphire is top priority." He paused. "What makes you think it's a he?"

She knelt down and looked under the bed. "Isn't that what Mrs. Walker said?"

"It was dark, you wouldn't be able to tell gender." David climbed up and checked the locks at the top of the windows. When he was finished, he looked over at her. She was already looking at him, and not looking for the sapphire. He studied her for a long moment.

"You're staring at me." There was humor in her eyes.

"Am I?" David asked, his expression unreadable.

She nodded, walking over to him. "You've been doing that a lot. Is there something wrong with my dress?" She looked up at him, her brows pulling together.

David's dark eyes glittered. "That's not it." He spoke quietly, his voice softer than usual. He stepped down from the windowsill, right in front of her.

Her eyes widened a little. "Then what is it?" Her hands were at her sides, calmly.

David reached a hand out and placed it on her neck, pushing his fingers to the back of her neck. His touch was a soft caress. His thumb settled over her pulse. He leaned his face close to hers. "Katherine, how do you feel about me?" He asked softly.

"Don't you already know?" Her eyes were sultry. She closed them and leaned her head up, her lips parted.

She was taken aback as something hard and metal jabbed her in the ribs. Her eyes flew open. She looked down at the gun in David's hand, which he kept firmly pressed into her side. "What are you-?" She began, looking back at him.

Her words died at the expression on his face. His mouth was a thin line, his dark eyes filled with intense dislike. "Do not move a single inch." He still spoke softly, but in a voice like winter. "Where is Katherine?"

Intense confusion filled her eyes. "What are you talking about? I'm right here." She whispered fearfully.

Anger crossed his face, he dug the gun barrel between her ribs hard enough to hurt. "You can stop playing games this instant." David hissed. "You tell me where she is right now, or you're leaving this house with only one lung."

Her expression turned to disgust so fast it was like watching a blanket fall away. "How did you guess?" She asked, her voice sounding completely different. It was richer, with a faint accent that David couldn't place.

"I knew you were an imposter as soon as you opened the door." David told her, not letting his guard down for a second.

"Yeah, right." She retorted. "I had you going for a bit there."

He kept the gun buried firmly in her ribcage. "You copied her facial features exactly, so you threw me off for a second. But, it's not a perfect disguise. You're a little too 'well-endowed' to be Katherine."

He wasn't telling her all of the other mistakes that had tipped him off. Like how her voice, while copying Katherine's perfectly, was still off. She didn't talk like Katherine. Such as her disinterest in finding the sapphire and her ability to move like a ghost. Katherine was also never completely calm around him. He took a small pleasure in knowing that he constantly agitated her.

"So you _were_ looking." The imposter said slyly.

"I answered your question." David's voice dropped again to a threatening level. "Now answer mine. _Where is Katherine_?"

The imposter shrugged lightly. "She dead." She said simply.

For a split second David's whole body tensed, his eyes widened. The imposter took her chance during that brief moment. She brought her knee up sharply, taking the cheap shot.

David fell to his knees, grimacing in pain. He still had his gun, however, and pointed it at her face from the floor. The imposter tsked lightly. "Oh well, it would have been fun, if you'd played along." She taunted him. "But now, we must part ways." She wiggled her fingers at him lightly. He narrowed his eyes and fired.

The gun clicked uselessly. The imposter smiled, then turned and ran.

David got to his feet slowly, even though the pain was nearly unbearable. He inspected his gun and found that the safety was on. Her small purse (he knew she was the woman from the bathroom) had also been lifted. How had she...?

He hobbled over to the door. She was long gone. He had no idea which way she had gone after she left the room.

He swore under his breath, and took a moment to recover. Then he walked up the hallway, testing doors. They were all locked. This corridor was on the north side of the house. Tall windows ran down the length of the hall on the left side. One of them was open slightly.

He pushed the window open wide and leaned out, gun pointed ahead of him, safety off. He looked down at the ground two stories below, then up the side of the house. The yard and the house were both illuminated by decorative spotlights. There was no sign of anyone.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, startling him. He tucked his gun away and answered it. "What?" He answered tersely.

"Are you done chasing phantom thieves, or do you you want to continue wasting the precious little time Kat has left?" K.I.T.T's voice was downright icy. It had take him nearly half an hour to find David's phone and call it. The man was so paranoid, that no one at F.L.A.G knew his private number.

"If you listen to me, and follow my instructions exactly, I can lead you right to her. She's been poisoned and time is of the essence."

David's free hand gripped into a fist. Take orders from the _car_? If Katherine's life wasn't at stake, he would have hung up right then. "Fine, what do I do?"

Author's Note: Okay, I know during that whole David/'Kat' scene some of you wanted to shout at your screens 'It's a trap!'. Want I want to know is who you guys were mentally yelling that to, David or 'Kat'?


	4. Chapter 4

**Knight Rider 2008 Alternate Storyline – Episode 13 – Fright Knight**

Chapter 4

East Gate Manor

David would have never, ever thought he would one day be working together with a car to save his fool subordinate's life. But here he was, running down hallways, unsure

"At the end of this hallway, turn right." K.I.T.T told him.

David jogged down the hallway. "What happened to her?" He asked urgently.

"She was exposed to a topographical poison." K.I.T.T answered. "As she was stepping out of the Ladies' room, another woman stepped in. Kat spoke to her, asking if she had seen the bandaged man. The woman led her out of the ballroom to and when they were alone, the woman turned on Kat, embracing her and introducing the poison into her system. Take the first staircase you see downstairs, then a left at the end of the hallway."

"When you say 'embrace', you mean..." David began, but trailed off.

"The poison was introduced through skin contact on Kat's mouth." K.I.T.T affirmed.

David changed the subject quickly, before his mind could settle on that mental picture for too long. "Did you get a visual of the woman before she disguised herself as Katherine?"

"Of course. I captured a very clear shot of her face, but I am afraid that close analysis reveals she was wearing a disguise before she poisoned Kat." The the car changed subjects, venting irritably. "It took me a while to track down your heat signature. After I saw that the thief was headed for you, I tried to contact you. It was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Nearly every guest had a phone on them. It was a nightmare. I had the Crawler assist me in finding you. Your phone is rather difficult to hack into, by the way."

David felt a little smug about that, but not very much. "Am I close?" He asked. He had reached the Main Hall. It was deserted except for a few Police officers. He slowed down to a walk, appearing calm.

"Go to the room across from the ballroom, then through the next door." K.I.T.T answered. "Kat's in there."

Once David was out of the Main Hall, he jogged over to the next door. He tried the knob. It was locked.

He pulled out his gun and fired once at the lock, destroying it. He pushed the door open. "Katherine?" He called. There was no answer.

He reached for a light switch and flipped it. He found himself in a small study. A large desk across from him. There was no sign of Katherine.

He moved over to the desk slowly, keeping his gun ready. He peered behind it and put his gun away quickly.

Kat lay curled up under the desk. Her eyes were closed. Her lips were blue around the edges. David knelt down and pulled her out from under the desk. She was wearing a red dress now. One that was too tight at her waist and too loose at her chest. Of course, the thief had stolen Kat's dress and replaced it with her own.

He checked her pulse. It was slow and faint, not a good sign. Her face was chalky white and her breathes were small. "What do I do now?" David asked.

"I can't see her." K.I.T.T said. "If I could, I would be able to guess at the type of poison."

David took a picture of Kat with his phone. K.I.T.T examined the photo. "We don't have much time." He reported. "She is being deprived of oxygen."

"What can I do?" David was getting very impatient and frustrated. He was sure it was his imagination, but Kat was feeling colder by the second.

Suddenly the room was bathed in red light. An alarm bell rang throughout the house. "I set off the fire alarm." K.I.T.T said. "Bring her to me."

********

The thief looked down at the valet lying at her feet. He slept soundly, though he would wake up with a killer headache. She walked over his prone form and headed into the garage. She was so close to escaping. She just needed to get to her car...

As she approached her Porsche, she noticed something that made her blood run cold. All four tires were completely flat. It looked like darts had been fired into each wheel. She clenched a hand into fist.

Just then the lights in the garage turned red. An alarm sounded. Uh oh. She needed to get out of here. She looked around the garage quickly. She didn't have much time. She needed a car...

Her eyes fell on a shiny silver Camaro, though it was bathed in red right now. That was the car that Katherine girl had been driving. She remembered because they had arrived around the same time, and she had seen the commotion with the valet.

Her lips pulled into a sly smile. She had already stolen quite a bit today. A priceless gemstone, plus a woman's identity, and possibly her life. What was a silver Camaro compared to that?

She hurried over to the car and opened her purse. She pulled out a slim case and unzipped it, showing an extensive lock picking set. She peered at the door handle, then paused. That was odd, there was no keyhole.

She straightened up and tested the handle surreptitiously. The door opened easily. Suspicious, she inspected the interior closely without leaning inside. She even peered into the back seat. There was no one in the car. She even stepped down and looked underneath. No one.

Aware that she only had minutes at best before the valet awoke and she was finished, she decided to take her chances with the car. She slid into the front seat, her hand moving to the starter.

Which wasn't there.

She frowned deeply. "Just what kind of car is this?" She asked aloud.

The driver's door closed suddenly, on it's own. The dashboard suddenly came to life, lighting up the dark interior. "We meet at last, 'Katherine'." K.I.T.T said coolly.

The thief tried the door at once, but it was locked tight and she could find no way of opening it. She glared at the dashboard. "Whoever you are, let me out right now." She demanded. "Oh yes, and real cowardly not showing yourself." She added cuttingly.

"Oh, but I am showing myself." K.I.T.T replied. "What you see is what you get. And if you want me to let you out, you have to do something for me first."

The thief arched one brow. "Oh? And what would that be?"

"Give me the sapphire and the antidote for the poison you gave to Kat, and I will let you go." K.I.T.T said simply. "If you refuse, then I will hold you here until either the Police or David arrive. If I were you, I would hope the Police show up first."

"You said that what I see is what I get. Which you imply to mean that you are the car." The woman said slyly. "If that is true, then your only concern should be for your owner. I will give you the antidote if you let me leave with the sapphire." She bargained. "You don't have time to negotiate with me as it is. Every passing second saps away at your Driver's life."

"You're right." K.I.T.T said after a brief hesitation. "My only concern is Kat's well-being. I have no personal attachment to the human you robbed. Give me the antidote, and I will release you." The thief smiled triumphantly. "Give me the sapphire as well and I won't tell David or the Police how to find you later on." K.I.T.T added.

The smile dropped from her face. "What are you talking about?" She scoffed. "How would you do something like that?"

"I know your identity." K.I.T.T said. "My interior is fitted with over a hundred biometric sensors. I scanned every inch of your body before you were even in the seat. I know your height, your weight, your B.M.I and approximate age. I have your fingerprints and I know what your real hair color is. I can even make a visual image of what your face truly looks like, under all that makeup."

The thief's expression turned sultry. "_Every_ inch of my body?" She leaned over and peered at the equalizer display on the dashboard. If she looked hard enough, she could just see a tiny camera lens implanted there.

"Your seductive act is useless on me." K.I.T.T said blandly. "In all honesty, seeing you make that expression while wearing a ghastly approximation of Kat's face is horrifying." The woman pouted. "Stop that, you're just making it worse."

The thief straightened up. "That makes twice today I was rejected." She said, sounding hurt. "That's unthinkable for a woman still in her twenties." She checked her reflection in the rear view mirror.

"That might be true, if you were still in your twenties." K.I.T.T replied. The woman's eyes narrowed to a glare. "The time for bantering is over. Hand over the sapphire and the antidote." The glove compartment dropped open. "David will be here soon."

The woman rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine!" She reached into the front of her dress and pulled out a black tube of lipstick. "It's in here." She placed the tube into the glove compartment.

"The black star sapphire as well." K.I.T.T reminded her.

Grumbling, the thief hiked up the side of Kat's dress, exposing her thigh. Kat's empty holster was strapped her thigh. She reached into the holster removed a cloth-covered bundle. She opened it, revealing the sapphire. She placed that in the glove compartment as well.

The glove compartment snapped closed and locked. The Driver's door opened wide a second after. The thief slid out of the car and hurried away.

She hadn't gone more than twenty feet when she spotted David across the garage. He was carrying a deathly pale Katherine in his arms. Their eyes met at exactly the same time. David's narrowed in intense dislike. It was an impotent glare though, she could tell. "Looks like you have some pretty heavy baggage there, better hurry or it'll become a 'dead weight'." The woman blew him a kiss and hurried out of the garage. "Till we meet again!"

David suppressed the urge to drop Kat and run after the thief. He walked over to K.I.T.T at a swift pace. He was very conscious of how Katherine was getting heavier by the second. The Driver's door was already open and the seat lay back. He laid Kat down in the seat. He straightened up and turned back to the thief, but she had disappeared once again.

K.I.T.T popped open the glove compartment, David ran around to the passenger's side. "We don't have much time." He told David sternly. It was as if the car had known David had considered dropping Kat and running after the thief.

David reached into the glove compartment. He pulled out the sapphire and another lipstick tube. "Is this it?" He asked, inspecting the tube. It was a normal looking one.

"I've analyzed the interior. The antidote is contained inside."

David opened the lipstick. It looked like an ordinary tube of lipstick. He sniffed it lightly. It did have a chemical smell to it. "What do I do with it?"

"The antidote is topographical, like the poison. Apply it the same way."

David shot the dashboard a look. "You're not saying..."

"Just put the lipstick on her mouth." K.I.T.T was sounding highly exasperated.

David rumbled dark threats under his breath as he climbed into the passenger's seat. He leaned over Kat and carefully applied the lipstick to her bottom lip. "I feel like a stalker." He complained.

Kat's color returned almost immediately. Her chest rose as she drew in a deep breath. Then her breath caught and she tried to cough. Her arms curled around her chest instinctively. Her breath kept hitching and she couldn't get a cough out.

David grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a sitting position. He pounded her on the back a few times.

"Ow..." Kat said weakly after she had finished coughing. "What happened-" She was cut off as David grabbed her chin between two fingers and tilted her face up to the ceiling. K.I.T.T helpfully turned on a light for him.

David inspected both sides of her face, then released her. "Look at me." He ordered. Kat was disoriented and complied obediently. "How many fingers am I holding up?" He asked her, holding up two fingers.

Kat squinted at him. "Three." She answered thickly.

David took a paper cup out of the glove compartment and filled it from the tap behind the front seat. He held it to Kat's mouth. "Drink." She reached up a hand to take the cup, but missed. David pushed her hand away roughly, holding the cup for her. "Drink." He ordered.

She drained the cup like she was told. He placed the empty cup on the dashboard and then made her lay down again. Kat curled on her side, gazing into space while her head cleared.

David sat back in the passenger's seat. He covered his eyes with a hand. He looked like he had a very bad headache. "You're always getting into trouble." He scowled. "You're more trouble than you're worth." Kat said nothing. She didn't trust her voice to work right now. "What would you have done if I wasn't here?" David asked harshly.

"I would have saved her, of course." K.I.T.T answered. David snorted.

Kat sat up. "I'm feeling better." She said faintly. Her color was almost back to normal. She looked down at the red dress she was wearing. "Ugh, what is this?" She asked.

"The woman who drugged you stole your clothing and tried to assume your identity." K.I.T.T told her. "You're wearing her dress."

"It doesn't fit." Kat said irritably. The dress was loose around her chest and she felt like her stomach was being cinched.

David exited the car. "Let's get back inside. Mrs. Walker's missing her sapphire."

********

The fire alarm had been disabled. Everyone had gone home. The Police had taken statements and told everyone not to leave town.

Mrs. Walker looked around the empty ballroom sadly. She sighed heavily and turned to the door. She saw David walking up to her, sapphire in hand. Her eyes widened it surprise and she hurried over to him. "Oh, you did it, you dear boy." She exclaimed.

David held the sapphire out to her. She placed her hands on his shoulders and pressed one of her cheeks to his briefly. "Thank you." She said happily and took her sapphire back.

She looked passed him, spotting Kat a few steps back. "Just who are you?" She asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"I'm not the thief." Kat said at once, holding up both of her hands.

Mrs. Walker stepped past David, walking up to Kat. "How did you get in here? You're not one of my guests. I am not kind to gatecrashers." She said sternly.

Kat tried to think quickly, to come up with something. Anything. "Uh..." Was all that came out of her mouth. She looked over at David, who was looking amused. "I'm with him." She said, pointing at him.

Mrs. Walker and David both wore identical expressions of surprise. David quickly hid his as Mrs. Walker turned to him. "I didn't know you had brought a date." She said, mollified. She turned back to Kat, holding out one slim hand.

David narrowed his eyes at Kat over Mrs. Walker's head. She smiled at him sheepishly. "I'm Katherine Knight." She said to Mrs. Walker, knowing she was digging her own grave. "I'm surprised David hasn't mentioned me, uh, before. I've been wanting to meet the esteemed Mrs. Walker for quite some time."

"The pleasure is mine." Mrs. Walker said. "Such a charming girl, David. I'm starting to think better of you." David scowled, crossing his arms across his chest.

Mrs. Walker clasped the hand holding her sapphire tightly. "I had better put this away." She turned to one of her guards. "I'll send someone down to show you a room, David. Tomorrow, once all this excitement has passed, we can discuss this project of yours that you want me to invest in." She said over her shoulder with a smile. Then she left the two of them alone.

David narrowed his eyes at Kat again. He walked over to her, pointing at her threateningly. Kat backed up a little. She knew what was coming.

But David's anger seemed to be beyond words. "You-" He began, then stopped. "That was-" He struggled again. "If you _ever_-"

Kat tried playing it cool. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you going to rat me out?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "That would certainly look cold-hearted to Mrs. Walker. I bet she revises her opinion of you, again."

David fumed silently. "Don't think for one second that you're not going to pay for this." He said darkly. Mrs. Walker was known as a notorious gossip, in many circles. He dreaded to imagine the smug look on Karen's face if word of this got to her.

But now was not the time to think about it. He was tired. So, so tired. One of the staff walked up to them, waiting to escort David to a room. "Come on." He said to Kat. He turned and followed the servant.

Now it was Kat's turn to be surprised. She had been hoping to sneak away to K.I.T.T, change her clothes, and get on with her next mission. Perhaps David wanted to yell at her somewhere private? She followed him reluctantly.

They walked up to the second floor. The servant stopped outside of one of the bedroom doors and held it open for them. David's heart sank. It was the bedroom where the thief had attacked him for the second time.

He steeled himself. He wasn't going to think about it. He just needed sleep.

Kat stood just inside the door, waiting. The servant had left. She watched David's back as he pulled off his jacket and laid it on the bed. She saw a glint of metal from the pocket. Did he carry that gun around with him everywhere?

"You should stay the night." David said wearily.

Kat blinked. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"Mrs. Walker wants to thank me properly in the morning. Since you helped, you deserve some of the praise as well." He told her. He headed for the bathroom, undoing his bow tie.

"I didn't really help." Kat said. "If anyone, it's K.I.T.T she should thank."

David grimaced. "Take the room next door." He pointed to the door connecting the two rooms.

"She doesn't have to go to any trouble." But Kat kept on. "It's not like I do this job for gratitude. If that were the case, I would have quit long ago." She scowled at David's back, then turned away from him quickly.

David stalked over to the bathroom. He wasn't going to acknowledge that.

Kat peered back over at the bed. Something sticking out of David's jacket pocket caught her eye. She walked over looked at it. "David, are you injured?" She called to the bathroom.

"No." David answered. He turned on the water for the shower, checking the temperature.

Kat was confused, but she didn't inquire further. David was rarely in a talkative mood, and today had been especially rough for the both of them. "Guess I'll just go to sleep." She left the room,through the door her had pointed out.

"Why?" David asked, stepping back into the bedroom. It was deserted. He walked over to the bed and picked up his jacket. He pulled a roll of gauze out of the pocket. He looked at the door Kat had left through and frowned. He tossed the roll of gauze into the waste basket as he headed back to the bathroom.

Author's Note: Only four chapters in this one, but stay tuned for a Halloween extra (which will be posted on Halloween)! Please tell me what you think about this episode, without feedback I run dry pretty quickly. ^_^

Here is a teaser for next episode!

Teaser: Vacation time! Kat and K.I.T.T have been driving themselves ragged with missions nonstop. Thankfully they and the rest of F.L.A.G are given a chance to have a well deserved break. And some time in the sun. Meanwhile, Diana continues to work on the mystery of Sam's 'death'...

Stay tuned!


	5. Bonus Chapter!

**Knight Rider Alternate Storyline – Bonus Chapter – Knight of the Living Dead**

F.L.A.G Underground Facility – October 31st, 2009

Kat looked at herself in the mirror carefully. "What do you think, KITT?"

"It's a very nice Halloween costume." K.I.T.T answered politely.

"You don't really have an opinion on it, do you?" Kat guessed.

"Not in the slightest." K.I.T.T answered. "I am baffled by the levels and standards of attractiveness you humans attach to clothing."

"You know what? Sometimes I am, too." Kat admitted. She admired herself in the mirror anyway. Most years, she didn't really care for Halloween, or dressing up in general. But Angela had gotten a costume ready for her weeks ago, and Kat didn't have the heart to crush her spirits.

She was starting to see that Angela loved holidays, all holidays. She loved having the chance to celebrate. She was warm and caring and liked to share happiness with others. Kat could see why Sam had liked her.

So, Kat was wearing a Super Girl costume. Angela had even dyed her long hair blonde. She smiled at her reflection again before leaving her room.

She met Angela in the hallway. Angela was dressed as a witch, down to the pointed hat and toy broom. "Shall we go see the other costumes?" She asked grandly.

"Who else have you dressed up?" Kat laughed.

Angela grinned. "Wait'll you see Ian."

They found Ian in the Main Lab. His hair was brushed back neatly. He was also impeccably dressed in a dark suit. Kat was confused for a bit until Ian pulled a Blackberry out of his jacket pocket and tapped a few buttons. "David!" She cried. "You're David for Halloween!"

Ian smiled smugly. It was so much like David's smile that Kat almost shivered. "The scariest thing I know." He said, his voice smooth, pocketing the Blackberry.

This time, Kat did shiver. "Oooh, that's eerie. But, who's David going to be?" She asked. "We can't have two."

"Yeah. That's too much evil in one place." Angela said. A mischievous smile spread across her face. "I'll see what I can do."

"Angela." Pierce called to her. "If you get David to wear a Halloween costume, I shall be your slave for a week."

"Deal." Angela laughed. Kat could see by the expression on her face that she was already plotting.

"Katherine!" Kat looked up. Karen and Alex were on the ramp above her. Karen was dressed as a leopard, and Alex was dressed at Iron Man.

"Alex!" Kat called to him "You look great!"

He ran down the steps and right up to her. "So do you." He said solemnly.

"Hey, kid, smile." Kat encouraged him. She pulled up his cheeks lightly. David's son smiled shyly. "So, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be going Trick or Treating?"

"We came to get Dad." Alex said.

"Isn't this a little out of your way?" Kat asked, raising an eyebrow.

He motioned for Kat to come closer. "Mom thinks he might try escaping, so we came to get him before he can get away." He whispered.

"Oh, I see." Kat whispered back. "Good plan. I think he's in his office. But wait a bit, Angela might get him to wear a costume."

Alex's eyes widened a little. "Really?" He looked about as excited as she had ever seen him. Like when he talked to K.I.T.T.

Speaking of K.I.T.T, he was sitting on his circle, contemplating quietly. "KITT's having some trouble deciding on his Halloween costume." Kat confided in Alex. "Why don't you go help him?"

Alex's eyes shown. "Okay." He ran off towards the car.

Karen saw him and held out her hand. "Oh, sweetie, don't-"

"I'm not going too close." Alex assured her. He pulled up a chair about ten feet away from K.I.T.T.

Karen looked worried. "Alex is perfectly safe." Kat assured her. Karen shifted her turquoise eyes to her. Her expression wasn't impolite, but it also wasn't friendly.

David walked into the Main Lab silently. He looked over the dressed up crowd with distaste. He walked over to Ian "Ian." He said behind him quietly.

Ian jumped and spun around. "Y-yes, sir." He said nervously.

David gave him a cool once over. Ian quailed. He knew he had really done it now. David must be pissed.

"Nice suit. It's nice to see not everyone has fallen for this holiday's trivial nature." He turned and headed for the stairs. He would wait out Halloween in his office.

Ian blinked stupidly. "Uh, t-thank you, sir." He said to David's back.

"Dad!" Alex called. He ran up to his father.

"Alex." David looked mildly surprised, though he shouldn't have been. He should have seen this coming; Karen and Alex tried to drag him out every year.

"Dad, can you wear a costume this year? Please, please, please, please!" Alex begged him.

"Alex, you know I don't-" David began, but stopped when Angela walked over to him and hooked her arm through his.

"Now, now, Alex. Don't mob the poor man." She began steering him up the stairs. "I'll just borrow Daddy for a bit and we'll see if we can come up with something for you."

David frowned down at his and Angela's linked arms. "Angela, what have I told you about touching me?"

Angela waved a hand dismissively. "Yes, yes, I know, I know." But she didn't let him escape.

Kat suppressed a giggle. This was too much. So far she was really enjoying her first Halloween with F.L.A.G. She turned to Alex. "So, Iron Man?" She raised an eyebrow. "I expected you to dress as Artemis Fowl, or a young Dr. Frankenstein."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Mom said if I picked a costume that was more mainstream, I would get more candy."

Kat smiled. "Anything for the candy, huh?" Alex nodded seriously.

"Someone say candy?" Pierce asked hopefully. He sat at his desk. He was wearing a black t-shirt that said: 'My T-Shirt kicks your costume's butt!'

"No candy for you." Carmen chided him. "You're not wearing a costume."

Pierce frowned. "Neither are you."

"I celebrate _El Día de los Muertos." _ Carmen said haughtily.

"So? People dress up on the day of the dead." Pierce said.

"That will be later." Carmen told him. She reached behind her workstation and pulled out a plastic container. "I've been baking, look." She walked over to his desk. She opened the container and showed him the contents.

He reached in and pulled out a cookie. It was decorated as a very colorful skull wearing a sombrero. "Interesting..." He said as he scrutinized it. "Cute, _and_ creepy."

Carmen made to swipe the cookie out of his hand, but he ate it in one bite before she could. He gave her challenging look, unable to speak with his mouth full. She glared back, then walked over to Kat and Alex.

"Cookie?" She asked, bending down so Alex could see inside the container.

He reached into the container automatically. "These look great, Carmen." He said sincerely.

Kat took a cookie as well, biting the sombrero delicately. "They taste great." Carmen smiled.

"What's up? Handing out treats?" Rei asked as she and her brother stepped into the Main Lab. She had a plastic pumpkin in one hand.

"Rei, you look amazing." Kat exclaimed. And she did. Her hair was swept dramatically and she was wearing a short turquoise kimono. The long sleeves trailed past the skirt.

"Thank you, Katherine." Rei smiled. "You look pretty good, too." She shook her plastic pumpkin. "Who wants treats?"

"I do!" Ian said, running up. Alex walked up much more calmly.

Rei smiled. "Kids first, I see." She held the pumpkin out to them. Once they had taken their treats, she walked over to Carmen and Kat. "Trade?"

They exchanged treats. Carmen looked at the wrapper of hers. "Melon gummies?" She asked.

"They're good, try em." Rei said, while eating her cookie.

"Everyone is having so much fun!" Angela said from above them. "Did you guys forget about me?"

"Never." Kat grinned at her.

Alex looked at her hopefully. "Is Dad...?"

She waved a hand dismissively as she walked down the stairs. "He's all done. Wait till you see him!"

The corners of Alex's mouth turned up in the closest thing Kat had ever seen to a smile on his face. He really loved his Dad. She guessed David couldn't be completely evil.

"Oh shoot, I left the goodie bags upstairs." Angela said. She turned to go back up the stairs.

"I'll get them." Kat offered. She slipped past her. "They;re in your studio, right?"

Angela smiled at her. "Yep, in the plastic cauldron."

Kat grinned at her and hurried up the stairs. "You want to see David's costume, don't you?" K.I.T.T asked in her ear.

"Of course." Kat whispered. "If you take a picture, I might even be able to use it as a bargaining chip later on." She jogged to Angela's studio. She pushed the door open and went inside.

She spotted David right away. He was standing in front of Angela's full length mirror. He wore a black vest over a white shirt and black pants. The vest was embroidered with silver thread. He swept a short black cape around his shoulders and tied the front.

"Hey David, that doesn't look to bad." Kat exclaimed. Then she remembered who she was speaking to and changed her tone. "Considering." She said coolly.

"I rather like it myself." David smiled at his reflection. Kat suppressed a shiver. She had gotten used to his evil smile for the most part. But now he was wearing fangs. Not the cheap ones either, the kind that you normally went to the dentist for.

Kat looked away, hunting around for the plastic cauldron. It sat on Angela's worktable. She grabbed the handle and headed back to the door.

"You don't look to bad yourself, considering." David said as she was heading out the door. She paused for a second, then hurried back to the Main Lab.

"I've written a program for my Halloween costume." K.I.T.T announced. "Come and see."

Kat leaned over the railing, looking down at K.I.T.T. He was pumpkin orange, with a devilish black Jack O'Lantern's face on his hood. As she watched, the eyes blinked. "Hey. That's pretty cool!" Kat said.

"Watch this." He said.

Down in the Main Lab, K.I.T.T let out a maniacal laugh that rang through the Main Hall. The mouth of the Jack O'Lantern's face was perfectly in sync. Everyone in the Main Lab jumped and turned to him. "Happy Halloween!" He said.


End file.
